Content marketing is a big deal in the for-profit sector, where over half of businesses invest in this strategy to attract new customers.

Associations can also use this approach. In fact, associations have a big advantage over commercial enterprises. Most professional and trade groups already have a huge body of content to leverage, including training materials, white papers and industry research.

Let’s look at how you can start putting this strategy into action.

If you’re new to the world of associations, you may not be familiar with the kind of software that’s commonly used in this industry.

If you’re not familiar with the phrase “tech stack”, it might conjure up an image of something like a Jenga tower.

Actually, this isn’t a bad comparison. Your tech stack is the sum total of all the systems in your IT infrastructure – everything that is regularly used in-house, from Association Management Software (AMS) to marketing automation tools

Associations exist because we know that we’re stronger when we’re part of a team. Good things happen when talented people come together to share knowledge, compare best practices and make connections, which is why associations work so hard to acquire members.

Every association website has a public section and a members-only section.

The public section of the site is essentially a marketing tool. It exists so that passers-by can get a flavor of what the association has to offer, and hopefully it will tempt people into taking a closer look.

The Association Management Software (AMS) can be found at the heart of every organization. It manages your member database, it handles subscriptions and member dues, it supports your website.

The AMS does a lot. But it doesn’t do everything.